1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiver drier of an air conditioner of a car for temporarily retaining a liquid-phase refrigerant used in a refrigeration system of the car.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patent document 1; Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-190567; discloses a receiver drier used in the air conditioner of a car.
The receiver drier disclosed in above patent document 1 is equipped with a cylindrical body with a bottom and having an opening formed at the lower area thereof, a drier member disposed within the body, a head member functioning as a sealing member for airtightly sealing the opening portion of the body, and an inlet and an outlet of a refrigerant formed to the head member.
According to such prior art receiver drier, the refrigerant flows in through the bottom portion of the cylindrical receiver drier and passes through a filter member and a drier member, during which the moisture and impurities in the refrigerant are removed. Thereafter, the refrigerant is sent out through the outlet formed to the bottom portion of the receiver drier, so the layout of the inlet-outlet pipe of the refrigerant is simplified.
Recently, the refrigerant used in a refrigeration cycle is required to have a property that has small impact on the environment. However, some types of refrigerants are harmful to the human body or are inflammable.
In a refrigeration cycle using such types of refrigerant, in case of an emergency, such as when the refrigerant is filled in a chamber due to gas leak or when gas leak occurs by collision of the vehicle, it becomes necessary to discharge the refrigerant rapidly to the atmosphere.
Non-patent document 1; Jul. 15-17 2003 SAE Automotive Alternate Refrigeration Systems, “R-152a Mobile A/C with Directed Relief Safety System”, Mahmoud Ghodbane, Ph. D., James A. Baker, William R. Hill and Stephen O. Andersen, Ph. D.; discloses a refrigeration cycle that discharges the refrigerant to the atmosphere at times of emergency.